You may have noticed that in the entertainment industry, many ideas circulate from one segment to another, thereby giving this very idea various possibilities for interpretation and prolonging its existence. Here we can recall world-famous books and movies based on them, popular fairy tales on the basis of which cartoons were filmed, and in the 21st century, heroes from books and films often move into the plots of video games, and vice versa. In the case of books, not all viewers are satisfied with the way the story is brought to the screen, but it seems that those who enjoy movie adaptations of video games are even less. Well, let’s hope that with the development of technology and the already existing experience, movie directors will very soon get to live up to the expectations of video game fans, but for now, let’s see which games have already made their contribution to the cinematography.
Best Films Inspired by Video Games from Early Days Until Today
In fact, the beginning was rather promising, even though the first movies based on video games like Super Mario Bros. and Street Fighter, released in the early 90s, aroused in the audience rather indignation than interest. However, in 1995, the film Mortal Kombat, based on the game of the same name, known and loved around the world, was presented to the general public. And although the film had a lot of absurdities like strange dialogues and plot, it still managed to convey the special atmosphere of the game and become iconic. It seems that even in a few decades, the film will still be pleasant to watch, and the viewer will remain interested in it.
Not so long ago, in 2018, the second film adaptation of the game Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was released. And while this version may have been filmed better from a technical point of view, it will still be difficult to find a person (among my acquaintances, surely not) for whom the new version could take over the original 2001 film with Angelina Jolie. Vivid adventures, sharp mind, and beauty of the main character do not leave indifferent players or spectators, so I advise you to watch both films.
The idea of endowing a female character with amazing skills and beauty turned out to be very successful, so no wonder the premiere of Resident Evil in 2002 was a dizzying success. This movie franchise lasted until 2016, and over the years, Mila Jovovich’s heroine mercilessly fought the virus and killed zombies. According to the latest news, Netflix decided to take up the idea of filming a series based on games and film adaptations, so all fans are looking forward to it.
The next mention in the list of my favorite screen versions is the adaptation of the adventure game Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. By the way, critics did not welcome this adaptation very warmly (which is not surprising). Still, high-quality scenes and famous Hollywood actors brought the film great box office results of more than $336 million and good viewership ratings. Worth seeing, I believe.
Of course, not everyone likes just to sit back and watch the adventures of the main characters; there are many fans to tickle their nerves. The non-trivial plot and gruesome monsters of the town of Silent Hill will not leave the audience indifferent both in the game and in its adaptation. Fans appreciated the special horror atmosphere, which has not lost its ability to make appropriate impressions on the viewer until now.
Gradually, video game adaptations became more and more frequent. The 2000s films such as Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, Alone in the Dark, Hitman, Max Payne, DOOM, and many others, although not entirely successful, formed the solid foundation for new film adaptations. Since then, new game-based films have always been eagerly awaited by audiences. And such an incredibly anticipated movie based on the super popular game was the action film World of Warcraft. An exciting plot about the enmity between orcs and people, realistic battles eventually found a response not only among the fans of the game but also among the mass audience. Therefore, all lovers of action and modern graphics should definitely watch this masterpiece!
Those who have watched all parts of the Fast and the Furious, fans of video games who adore cool cars and enjoy the opportunity to drive them fast online, and just people who are far from the world of video games, most probably know the game Need for Speed. In 2014, a film adaptation of this game was released. It cannot be called “incredible” or “unique,” is still worth watching. In general, in the 2010s, filmmakers took into account many mistakes of the past, and more quality films began to appear on the market, such as Assassin’s Creed, Pokémon Detective Pikachu, Sonic the Hedgehog, Ready Player One, etc.
As you can imagine, top-rated games always set a very high bar for creators of movies based on such games. Therefore, even if all efforts and a lot of funds are invested in the product, and the best actors are involved, this does not guarantee that film critics and viewers will be greatly impressed by what they see. In any case, the expectation and interest in the release of new films based on video games are only growing nowadays. Such a direction in the art of cinema can be safely advised to those who want to take a break from game consoles.
